Czech Republic - Statehood Day

Category

European Days and Weeks

Date

Saturday, 28 September 2019

Venue

Czech Republic - Czech Republic

Czech Statehood Day is one of the public holidays in the Czech Republic. This holiday is annually celebrated on September 28, that is also the feast of St. Wenceslaus, the patron saint of the Czech Republic.

Wenceslaus was the son of Vratislaus I, Duke of Bohemia. His father died when he was a 13-year-old boy. The boy was brought up by his grandmother, who raised him as a Christian. His mother, Dragomira, was a pagan, but Wenceslaus never wanted to convert back to the old pagan religion.

Wenceslaus gained the throne at the age of 18 and started converting Bohemia to Christianity. He advocated the use of Latin and Slavic languages during the masses. He became known as a wise and just ruler, who was very popular among the people.

Wenceslaus was killed by his younger brother Boleslav, who plotted to seize the throne. Murder of the ruler only strengthened Christianity in the duchy and Wenceslaus was canonized after his death and posthumously declared king. Day of his death is a feast day of St. Wenceslaus and since 2000 it's also Czech Statehood Day in the Czech Republic.